PHOTO: STAR/FILE

ASIFUR RAHMAN

The government has introduced a new policy framework to speed up renewable energy development by allowing unused or underutilised state-owned land to be used for clean energy projects under a public-private partnership (PPP) model.

The “Guidelines for Development of Renewable Energy Projects using Land Owned by Government Agencies under PPP Modality, 2026,” unveiled on April 12, aim to ease one of the biggest bottlenecks in expanding renewable energy in Bangladesh -- the shortage of suitable land.

“One of the major pledges from this government is ensuring energy security by enhancing power production from renewable sources, which is why the guidelines are prepared,” reads a letter sent to the PPP Authority from the Power Division in this regard.

The move comes as the government seeks to implement its Renewable Energy Policy 2025, which targets at least 20 percent of electricity generation from renewable sources by 2030.

Bangladesh currently has 1,059 megawatts (MW) of installed renewable capacity -- just 3.7 percent of the total 28,504MW -- with solar at 757MW, hydro at 230MW, and wind at 62MW.

The new guidelines focus mainly on solar and wind projects, which require large areas of land.

Many government agencies -- ranging from ministries to statutory bodies -- own unused or underused land that the framework aims to bring into productive use for energy generation.

Under the framework, the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) has been designated as the main contracting authority, responsible for selecting private partners, signing contracts, and overseeing implementation.

The Power Division will sign a Government Facilitation Agreement to provide state support, while Power Grid Bangladesh PLC will handle transmission and grid connectivity.

The PPP Authority will act as the central coordinating body to resolve inter-agency issues and ensure compliance with PPP rules.

The guidelines set a minimum project size of 50MW for solar and wind, though smaller projects may be permitted for other technologies -- including tidal, wave, and The